A Detention For Kristin
by etherian
Summary: A one-shot written for a friend.


Professor Snape paced before the sixth year Slytherin. She had only recently been Sorted as one of many students whose parents had taken them elsewhere during the Voldemort Conflict. Her name was Kristin Viridi, and on her second week at Hogwarts she had managed to find herself in trouble.

"I was studying, sir..." she began but her voice faded as the professor turned and settled his dark gaze upon her.

"Studying is laudable, Miss Viridi, however in your pursuit of knowledge you neglected to eat. I do believe I was quite specific in letting you know that I do not tolerate ANY of my students purposefully ignoring their health. You have been skipping dinner, Miss Viridi."

The accusation hung like Damocles Sword over her head, and Kristin gulped. She HAD skipped dinner once, well maybe more than once? Really it was not that big of a deal. Was it?

"M-m-my meals were never monitored before, sir, and I... uh..."

"Madam Pomfrey did a thorough exam, Miss Viridi, and your own body showed the Healer that you suffered from an Eating Disorder in the recent past. Not very well known in our world but with more Muggle-born coming to our world the disorder is not uncommon. Your health matters, young lady, to not just me but every one that cares for you."

Kristin sighed, and hung her head. Words she had heard before but when other things, such as studying, took her attention she just did not think.

"I won't skip dinner again, Professor Snape."

"You certainly will not. You have earned detention and I shall assign a house elf to remind you when it is time to eat dinner. Actually eating will be your responsibility."

"Detention! For missing dinner? That's not fair, Professor Snape!"

Professor Snape scowled at the beginning of her protest. "Would you care for a loss of points as well, Miss Viridi?"

"No, sir. No, no I wouldn't." Kristin sighed heavily. As if the impending detention wasn't enough...?

For a moment he stroked his chin as he thought about what the Slytherin might do. The wizard then turned slightly and looked at his office bookshelf. "Organise my bookshelf. First by subject matter, then alphabetically, but I want you to separate all tomes that are older than a century. All of the old tomes are to be on the top shelf, organised by subject matter, and then alphabetised." He then went behind his desk, seated himself, and began to grade essays from his second year classes. "Begin, Miss Viridi."

Kristin pushed herself up from the chair which was as comfortable as sitting on a porcupine, and walked over to the bookshelf. The shelf was dark stained oak, as tall as she was, and twice as wide. It was also stuffed with books.

She glared at it wondering how in the world it had gotten in such a mess. Kristin knew from just her classes in Potions that her teacher was much neater than what this bookshelf reflected. Everything in his classroom was organised and clean and always where one expected something to be.

"Miss Viridi," drawled the silken voice from the large desk behind her, "I do hope you are only studying my bookshelf as you devise a plan for accomplishing your task."

"Uhm... yes, yes Professor Snape. Just uh trying to..." Kristin sighed heavily at the bookshelf. She was going to be organising this thing in her sleep!

* * *

Just before a deep bell chimed curfew Kristin placed the last book in its new slot. She used her wand to vanish the dust that had accumulated on her knees.

"Curfew, Miss Viridi, and I see that you are finished." The professor stood next to her and was studiously checking his Snake's work. With a nod he approved of all that she had done. "I trust with this detention completed, and the kind reminder of the house elf assigned to you that you will not miss another dinner."

"No, sir. I won't," Kristin promised. She walked to his office door, and opened it.

Professor Snape removed himself to his desk, and began to put away the grading for the evening. Just as his student was about to step out into the corridor her Head of House spoke softly, "Fifteen points for missing curfew, Miss Viridi. Good night."

Krisitin's mouth fell open with shock. She almost protested but snapped her mouth shut before she made that points loss worse. Instead, as she walked out she very carefully closed the office door, and then she stomped off down the corridor to the Slytherin common room.

In his office Professor Snape darkened the lanterns, extinguished the flame in the fireplace, and vanished into the shadows with the smallest of smirks upon his lips.

~For Kristin by Jayne d'Arcy


End file.
